yesterday and today
Yesterday it was 60F and sunny outside. I was elated but not deceived by the tease. I knew what was coming by the headache I woke up with. But, Harley and I took advantage and I hit tennis balls to her for a long while. She was happy and so was I.
This morning I awoke to the already arrived so-called “blizzard” careening up the coast. The forecast was for 8-12″ and blizzard conditions here and there. “It is February after all,” I told myself in a grumble, and we are still deep in the grips of Winter. I went outside with Harley at 5:30 and there was about an inch on the ground. Then, I found Callie already up and at ’em in the kitchen at 5:45:
yesterday I found her on the rug with a tulip that she’d taken out of the vase as a play toy (note to self: need new tulips)
Well, that was the state of affairs in my house before 6 am this morning.
Later, I went outside to shovel and as I was working around, the idea of a “Snow Scone” (you know Snow Cone) popped into my head. I ditched the shovel for a more fun occupation. What is life if you can’t have a little fun with coconut and the oven on a snow day? I’d say it was inevitable that I’d get into some kind of trouble in the kitchen today.
GLUTEN-FREE SNOW SCONE WITH A CHERRY ON TOP
1/2 cup sliced almonds ground to fine in a food processor, divided in half
2 3/4 cups gluten free flour such as King Arthur
1 cup almond flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
8 tbsp unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup creme fraiche
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 cup dried cherries
egg wash
remaining 1/4 cup ground almonds mixed with scant 1/4 cup sugar
8-9 fresh cherries, pitted with stems
1/2 bag sweetened coconut
1 tbsp sugar
Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In the bowl of your food processor whir together the gluten free flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the cubed butter and pulse 8-9 times. Remove the mixture to a low, wide bowl. Make a well in the center.
In 2 cup measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, almond extract and creme fraiche. Pour this into the center of the dry ingredients. Working with a dough scraper, mix the dry ingredients into the wet. This mixture will be wetter than your usual scones. Add the dried cherries and mix in.
Form the dough into 8 even balls. Roll each ball in the ground almond/sugar mixture, then lightly in the egg wash and then roll in the coconut.
Place on the prepared pan and sprinkle with the remaining almond/sugar mixture. Roll the fresh cherries in the remaining egg wash and roll in sugar. Place the cherry on top.
Bake the scones for 20 minutes or until nicely browned and firm to the touch. These are best eaten fresh out of the oven. Enjoy!
while they don’t really look like snow cones (or snow balls) like they did before baking, these are yummy and will go well with a steaming cup of tea when you come in from shoveling today!
